Leaving the Dream
by Hollow Productions
Summary: Long past bringing Sasuke back, latest Great Shinobi War and the break up of Team 7. Can two people escape the fate of the former trio of sannin? Or will the past continue to repeat itself, bringing heart break and broken dreams to all? Final chapt done!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Inspired by Selun-chen's picture _Narusaku 2_ at http://www.deviantart (DOT) com/deviation/47086974/ ; story by causeiambetta. Part 1 of 3.

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**_Leaving the Dream_** by Hollow Productions

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Harsh winds swept through the desert, shifting the sands, creating new peaks and valleys. A lone traveler cloaked in many layers of thin, light fabrics walked towards an oasis. She walked steadily, without signs of fatigue despite the sand storms that pelted her mile after mile or the brutal sun baking the atmosphere. The woman's mouth was covered in a mask to help filter out air and goggles over her eyes to keep from being blinded. The harsh conditions were not enough to veer her from the path. No matter how strong the winds buffeted her body or how steep the incline of the sand dunes, she continued on without stopping for days. Through the final leg of the journey, the lone figure looked over the recent peak and down on to the valley below. At last she could see date palm trees and a shallow pond of water with a single camel near. A large tent was propped up near the oasis, standing tall against the harsh conditions.

The flap opened and a man came out, as if expecting her. He too was ready for the elements but walked with a much weaker gait towards the woman. Seeing the man stop near the bottom of the dune she was standing on top of, the woman pulled her hood back and unrolled the thin turban keeping her hair in place. At this, the man below also took down his hood and wrappings, revealing blonde spiky hair, similar eye goggles and a grim countenance. The woman looked down, countering his expression with an unreadable one of her own. They stood like this for some time, neither moving. Tucking her shoulder length pink hair away from her face, Haruno Sakura descended slowly down the hill. Her eyes never strayed from Uzumaki Naruto. Behind the goggles, pained eyes recollected a memory of days long gone. It came without warning, the past. Before the war, before Uchiha Sasuke's return. Before they stopped being friends. Many things had happened since then. She tried to will away the images, the words exchanged that night. Sakura reminded herself that she was a kunoichi of the Leaf. An emotionless tool for protection of the village.

And Sakura was here to kill Naruto.

It was late at night, Team 7 had just returned from a long mission deep in Rice village. Captain Yamato had left Naruto and Sakura at the village gates. Yamato was the only one with enough energy to take Sai to the hospital to get his injuries looked at and then report to the Hokage. The mission was successful and the team had learned precious info on the enemy Sound village. Both Naruto and Sakura were very tired but decided to go to Ichuraku Ramen to celebrate another mission completed, as was tradition. At this late hour the stand was empty and they took a small table for two, away from the entrance. Ayame, the waitress and older sister figure to Naruto came to their table with their regular orders and a smile. Four bowls of ramen for Naruto, each a different flavor, and one bowl of miso soup for Sakura. They both warily nodded their thanks and began to eat the steaming hot food.

Sakura noticed her teammate eating at a unusually slow pace. She looked at Naruto wondering if he was injured more than he let on. Naruto didn't look that beat up, and he always got better the fastest out of anybody she knew. Maybe something was bothering him? Sakura decided to maintain the quiet they had for a bit longer. The mission was draining for all of them. This didn't explain the small glances Naruto threw her way every once in a while. Sakura started to feel uneasy. She finally couldn't take it anymore when she heard Naruto quietly say 'Go.'

'What?' Sakura says looking up from her soup, surprise written on her face.

'...Nothing, nothing' Naruto replies quietly, without looking up. Sakura at this reaches across the table and squeezes his shoulder softly.

'Why did you just say 'go'?' this time the question was followed by a narrowing of her emerald green eyes.

'I...didn't know I was saying anything out loud.' Naruto then starts laughing and puts on a large grin while rubbing the back of his head. Sakura removes her hand from him with a slight look of frustration. Naruto was being strange again. 'Hey, just thinking out loud, it's nothing.'

Sakura's eyes soften at his expression and she places her chopsticks on the table 'Naruto- you've always been a terrible liar. Tell me what's wrong.'

Naruto waves her question away with the tips of his chopsticks, still smiling. 'No, no everything is fine.'

'Well, humph.' Ignoring Naruto's rudeness, Sakura rubs her eyes, trying to stroke her fatigue away. 'I guess you won't tell me then,' and picks up her chopsticks to finish her meal. Naruto sees how tired she looks, looks down and tries to finish his meal faster.

'We're finally getting close to getting him,' Naruto says definitively, while taking a break from finishing his third bowl

Sakura pauses in her eating. 'Yes, we are.'

Naruto, between bites, 'Things are going to become like before.' Sakura looks at him carefully, he didn't look up nor did Naruto's fake smile stretch as far as it usually does.

'I don't think...it will be like that Naruto' her chopsticks lay still in her right hand and she leans back to stare at the ceiling of the ramen stand. She looked deep in thought about the idea of a future with Uchiha Sasuke, her childhood crush and traitor to the village, back. 'After all we've been through, I just don't think things will ever get back to the way it was.'

Naruto absent mindedly kept eating, though at a slower than before. He paused and looked at a small candle placed in the middle of the table for light. 'I think they will.' Naruto looks up and gives Sakura a dimmer smile. 'And that will be a great thing Sakura-chan!'

'What makes you think that?' Sakura retorts without looking down from the ceiling and crosses her arms across her chest.

'Don't you want it to be like it was before?'

Placing the last morsel of her late night meal to her mouth, 'Well- of course.' Chewing on the food, 'But...that's just not going to be how it's going to be.' Sakura finishes her bowl while Naruto waits. 'I know I dream a lot about stuff. How things would've turned out during the years if Sasuke-kun had stayed. But…'

Upon hearing the -kun honorific to Sasuke, Naruto redoubles his efforts to finish the last bowl and get the hell out of here. In between hurried bites, he exclaims 'Right! You're super strong now Sakura-chan! Sasuke-teme can't ignore you this time'

'It would be a shame...' Sakura continued over his proclamation quietly. '...if things go back to normal.' She turns to look at him. Her mouth turned a sad smile that didn't reach her eyes. 'Then you wouldn't be my friend anymore.'

At this, Naruto looks up beaming at her confidently for the first time this night. 'I will always be your friend Sakura-chan!'

'...' Again Sakura looks at him carefully, and extends a hand to over his as one of them rests on the table once he remembers to chew. 'Naruto,' she gives his hand a light squeeze 'You and me. Together. We will get Sasuke-kun back!' Naruto swallows his food loudly and grins. 'And this time- he will be the one looking at our backs with envy. Just like we used to look at him.'

'And...And...When we do and beat sense into him, you guys can be a great happy couple. Just like you always wanted!' Naruto's smile stretches even harder and he squinted his eyes shut.

Sakura stops her rant and removes her hand. She hasn't closed her mouth yet but no words come out. Naruto nods vigorously in the positive, and then returns back to his food. A moment passes before Sakura could speak again. 'Who said I wanted that anymore?' She slouches slightly, speaking quietly 'Would I even be happy as his girlfriend?' Finally concluding her hesitant thoughts with a smile no longer sad, 'I would rather stay a friend.'

Naruto bobs his head up and down, 'Sakura-chan would beat Ino and every other girl in this whole village.' He looks up 'Everyone loves the Uchihas.'

'Of course they do'

''You'll get him this time for sure!' Naruto sits back from his finished bowl and looks out to the street. 'And everything will go back to the way it was before' Before Sakura could reply, Naruto gets up and goes to pay the bill for both their meals. When he comes back with two glasses of water, he sees Sakura with her arms crossed again and a slightly perturbed look on her face. Naruto sat back into the chair and with a faraway look in his eyes said 'Sakura-chan?'

'Hmm?'

'Once we get him back, I'm going to take the Jounin test.'

Sakura loosened her arms and smiled, 'Yeah, I think that would be a great idea.'

Naruto continued to look thoughtful, and then had a small smile on his face. 'They'll have to make a new team 7 and I won't be in your way.'

Sakura tensed and raised an eyebrow, 'In my way?'

Naruto lost his bout of seriousness at her reaction and continued louder than before, 'Yeah if I train hard enough with Ero-sannin, I'll make Jounin for sure!'

'Naruto-'

'It's going to be great. Tsunadade-obaa-chan will have to give me real missions!' Naruto cut her off and was getting louder with each sentence; mouth wide in a plastic smile.

'Naruto...why are you saying things like 'go' and 'not be in your way'?'

'Maybe get my own team! Won't that be great Sakura-chan? I'll be like Kakashi-sensei, but even better!' Naruto ended laughing very hard and slapping his knee, to which Sakura looked on sadly, not masking her thoughts.

'What's wrong, Naruto? You know I don't think of you as a hindrance.'

'Hey, the next Hokage holds no one back! I'll be the best Jounin there is' Naruto evades her gaze and drinks his glass halfway through.

'Fine- don't tell me then.' She abruptly drinks the water from her glass and thumps it on the table. 'I'll see you tomorrow, and here, I don't like you paying for me all the time.' She smacks down her portion of the bill, ringing loudly in the quiet restaurant. Sakura angrily stormed out of the shop.

Right before exiting the stand, Sakura couldn't help but glance back, fully expecting to see Uzumaki Naruto rush to her side to apologize and walk her back home. That was just one of the things she loved about him. They have their arguments but she could never stay angry at him. He in turn, never turned down a chance to be with her.

What Haruno Sakura saw instead, was Uzumaki Naruto sit dejectedly at their table, sadly staring at her seat.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Leaving the Dream_** by Hollow Productions

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A/N: Chapter uses another Selun Chen picture available at www.deviantart (DOT) com/deviation/44587518/?qo5 Story has been changed into a three parter, Final chapter will be almost all dialogue.

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Desert winds howled thought the oasis, kicking sand into everything, nearly covering the air into a dusty fog. The extreme heat of noon rapidly changed to coolness as day turned into night. Tonight was to be especially cold night by the oasis. Two figures stood twenty feet from each other in stark stillness to the dust storms around them. The man with the short spiky blonde hair stood slightly slouched, staring at the woman opposite him. Pink hair furled around her face, she stood up straight, arms slightly bent at the elbows. Both watched each other silently, the desert noise was too loud to make yelling through the air masks worthwhile. The sun sunk lower to the ground, the resulting cold and darkness prompted the two to finally break their standoff.

The man turned his head towards the tent and raised his arm, pointing with his index finger. Sakura watched him for a moment longer then proceeded to walk to the tent. As she passed by, the man dissolved into sand. This went noticed by Haruno Sakura but did not surprise her. Naruto had become a master of making clones. She stopped and turned her head to watch this particularly new type of clone spread into the winds from the head down. When it was finally gone, the woman looked down at her feet then back to the entrance of the tent, zipped down to the ground. Her mission was waiting.

If this was going to happen, Sakura wanted it to be by her hands for Naruto to die. Not by an anonymous hunter-nin, or group of ANBU covert ops ninja. Her face scrunched up as she stared at the brown, leather hide tent. Haruno Sakura especially did not want Uzumaki Naruto to die by ANBU Captain Uchiha Sasuke's hands. Unconsciously, she looked westward, in the direction of the setting sun from which she journeyed from. In the Hidden Village of the Sand, her absence would be noticed by now. Sasuke and the three ANBU squads he brought with him must have broken through the complicated genjutsu placed over her room hours ago.

Sakura expected the Kazekage Gaara and his siblings Kankuro and Temari to not cooperate. Sasuke would have to turn to Shikamaru to figure out where she went. That means she had four hours at best. Sakura hoped this battle would not last that long. It probably would, and she may not come out victorious. But better her to battle the ex-teammate alone. Otherwise twelve ANBU ninjas would have to needlessly die following Kakashi-sama's orders to bring Naruto in. Naruto the missing-nin, who would've guessed? Just like the legendary Sannin before them, one would leave the Leaf. Everyone thought it would be Sasuke to take Orochimaru's place. Sakura's hands clenched thinking about the Uchiha. No, she will not let him have the satisfaction of hurting Naruto. The tent stood before Sakura, growing more ominous as daylight dwindled.

Finally Sakura willed herself to go through the flap, not bothering to zip down the flap behind her. The scene before her was not one she was ready for.

'Naruto! What'd you do?!' Sakura tore the goggles from her face to take everything in. Naruto was laying down on the red carpeted ground in his infamous orange and black jumpsuit. The jacket was open and a wide bloody wound was spewing blood through his bandaged stomach. Inside the tent, it was surprisingly warm. Sakura quickly took off her coat and air mask. She took one step forward while reaching to take off her combat gloves.

'Oi, came to finish the job?' Naruto asked weakly. One hand waved her to get closer. Sakura took a hesitant step forward, Naruto's sarcastic joke hitting her harder than intended. She couldn't speak as her throat constricted.

'Hey, hey Sakura-chan...It was just a joke. I knew you'd come to find me' Naruto broke the silence again, but he still didn't move much.

Sakura's green eyes were open wide, staring at his injured body in disbelief. Not knowing what to say to him. He didn't know why she was there.

'Please, close the door,' Naruto coughs, 'It gets so cold at night here'

Sakura gives him a short glance, her lips pressed into a line, and does as she's told. Quickly zipping down the flaps to the tent, Sakura took care to adjust to her surroundings. The sounds of raging sand storms beating on the leather hides protecting them, and the darkness within the tent, unnerved her. Or was it that she had expected a fight and received nothing but a welcome in Naruto's spartan hideout.

Silently shaking her head, she felt around her with chakra. The tent was minimally stocked. There was a barrel full of water, a small drawer with mirror on one side and a few bags full of preserved meals in another corner. Sakura's chakra sense expanded to where Naruto lay and immediately warned her of danger. Along the floor on his other side was one 'Samehada,' Akatsuki Kisame's favored shark skin sword. At this, Sakura tensed and her hands went to hidden kunai holsters sewn into her red tunic. They were ready to be thrown at any moment.

'Thanks, it's kind of hard to move right now. All my chakra is going to healing.' Sakura doesn't respond, and still stood by the door way as if wondering whether to leave. She avoided turning around to meet the gaze she knew he was giving her. 'I don't have much right now in way of supplies, but there's water in a barrel on the left corner. Light the candle that's over by the dresser, a lighter should be right by it too.'

Smoothly Sakura goes to the dresser and feels the match and candle with her hands and lights them. The small amount of warm light given off softened the look of everything around her. She couldn't help but gasp at what she saw in front of the mirror. Taped on the sides were two photos Naruto put up. Sakura held her mouth with her free hand. She was trembling at the first picture she saw.

There was one picture of a laughing Naruto in his Jounin vest and his Team 13. Konohamaru, grandson of Sandaime wore a battle ninja outfit like his grandfather, with helmet and all. He held a wooden spear above his head with pride. Udon, his best friend was right beside him in a green spandex outfit befitting a taijutsu practioner under Gai-sensei. Nice guy pose was in full effect, his teeth seemed to 'ping' even now. The girl of the group was climbing Naruto's back. Red headed Moegi was dressed similar to her idol Haruno Sakura at her age and wore a huge grin as she playfully chocked her sensei. It was a very family, happy moment for the team. All of them had made Chuunin on their first try and Konohamaru even became Naruto's official apprentice.

Sakura couldn't help but feel disappointed at how things had turned out. Kakashi as Hokage deigned Konohamaru his successor over Naruto...He never explained to Naruto why but Sakura knew. Of course she knew why, even when Naruto didn't. Kakashi wanted Sasuke, his favored student since the beginning, to be Hokage. But with his history of treason, Uchiha Sasuke was not forgiven even after the war. There was no way Sasuke could go further than ANBU Captain. Naruto, forever remained the Kyuubi, and the village council would shoot down both Kakashi and Naruto if he became heir. So the Hokage took the politically easy choice of taking a previous leader's grandson. The village was jubilant at the idea of royalty coming back to power.

Sakura closed her eyes as the thoughts ran through her head. This was what finally caused Naruto to leave the village. To leave her and everyone else. He never talked with anyone about it or responded to her offers for help. Naruto just left one night without a word. Reports came back that he was trying to establish his own village...How would he do that while hiding out in Wind Country, under the Kazekage's protection?

'You look fine, Sakura-chan,' he laughs at seeing her check herself out in the mirror. 'Drink some water, Suna is so far from here.' She almost turned around to respond but stopped halfway to look at the other picture.

Sakura's hand on her mouth squeezed tighter...It was the picture of her and Naruto playing in the snow several winters back, during a lull in the Great Shinobi War. In child like scrawl 'Surprise in Snow' was written to the upper left hand side, across a grey cloudy sky. Snow flakes were falling lightly and underneath a streetlamp stood Sakura holding her skirt and leaning forward. She had just caught Naruto with a massive snow ball while he wasn't looking. He was caught flat footed and thrown off his feet by the blast Sakura threw with her super strength. Instead of being mad, he grinned at her and they shared a long laugh. Trying to wipe off the snow from his face and a blush reaching his eyes, Naruto remained sprawled on the ground. Sakura herself was blushing too, wearing a white scarf and tight red coat over knee high white skirt. Behind her was a lump of a moon, strangely colored yellow.

Sakura noticed the smile she had in the picture was so...pure. She was happy being there. Enjoying herself, carefree to the world's problems. There was no war and no fighting. It was just them enjoying each other's company. Both of their smiles were large and genuine. How much she wanted to go back to those days… Sakura looked back at the prone Naruto on the other side of the tent. Maybe he does too? No. She let go of her mouth and placed the candle on a holder near the mirror. Sakura's right hand she surreptitiously reached into the kunai holster again while her left hand dipped a tin pitcher into the water barrel.

Sakura turned to Naruto seeing him with his eyes closed in the flickering candle light. She allowed her face to contort in pain and sadness as she said 'Naruto, you need to drink water.'


	3. Chapter 3

**_Leaving the Dream_** by Hollow Productions

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A lone candle gave light and warmth to the red carpeted tent. Its yellow sheen bounced off the small mirror it was placed close to and formed somewhat of a dull fireplace in one corner of the room. On the opposite side laid the wounded form of Naruto Uzumaki. He had a thin brown blanket to help him stave off the cold that comes with the desert night and his orange jumpsuit was zipped all the way up. Neither of which prevented him from shivering. Naruto was used to harsher conditions, but injuries had taken their toll. Nothing short of a stay in the hospital would help him through this time. Yet he still had a smile on his face and tried to open his eyes with a look of hope. He regarded the slender pink haired woman with admiration. Here she was the best medic ninja in all of the shinobi lands. Come to help him.

Naruto watched as the candle light flamed dully behind her, creating shadow over her face. He could not see the look she was giving him. He did not feel he needed to, she was probably angry at him for getting hurt. Uzumaki Naruto had fought along side Haruno Sakura since he was twelve. They defended cities against whole armies during the war. Attacked the strongest criminals in the land, breaking the evil Akatsuki organization. Despite these endeavors that made them legends throughout the shinobi world, he was most proud of working with her to free Uchiha Sasuke from Orochimaru of the Sound at age eighteen. Naruto had entrusted his life to Sakura's hands countless of times. He watched her come to him with water, noticing her gripping on a kunai knife beneath a fold in her solid red clothing. With anyone else Naruto would have been alarmed... but this was _Sakura-chan_.

Sakura calmly walked up to the male's right side, with her back to the candle and his eyes. Better to hide the glint of steel gripped in her hand. She saw him watch her with unspoken happiness and a smile that said everything was going to be alright. But it wasn't, Sakura told herself. She turned on her hips and lifted the tin pitcher of water to his lips. Naruto couldn't resist an act of defiance even now, closed his mouth lifting his chin away from the pitcher. Just to annoy her, she knew. This prompted her to command him in a short clipped tone 'Drink.' He slowly did, visibly gaining strength with each gulp. Sakura guessed that he hasn't moved from this spot for hours. Finally he closed his mouth to signal that he can't drink any more. Even this little act had put too much strain on Naruto's body and he had to quickly suppress a grimace. Sakura gently dried the water from his mouth and cheeks. It was a wonder to her, she thought distractedly, how as the boy grew older the whisker-like scars on his cheeks grew deeper. How his eyes themselves became less circular, teeth more feral and hands claw like. She knew his full body jump suit hid more abnormalities most would find horrific...but this was _Naruto_.

Placing the pitcher to the side, Sakura calmly went through one handed seals for basic medical diagnosis jutsu. Her left hand glowed soft neon green and slowly moved from this face to his groin, then returned to a spot above his navel. She was stiff while doing this and eyed every detail the hand was telling her, narrowing her eyes and sometimes muttering things under her breath. It became obvious Naruto was a part of a massive battle. Sakura's face settled into a determined look, her eyes showing concern as the jutsu stopped at the stomach. Naruto knew this rare look only too well. It only came when she was nervous.

'That bad, huh?' Naruto asked.

'I have three hours,' Sakura muttered loud enough for him to hear. She had scooted closer to his body, her medic senses starting to come out in force despite the situation. Eyes scanned his abdomen like the experienced surgeon she was.

'Three hours?' His hands gripped the thin blanket 'What's going on Sakura-chan?' he asked calmly. Sakura at this looked pained and away from his body. She made him drink more water.

'...Only three hours'

'Are the others coming for me?' Naruto smiles and looks up at the tent roof. 'That's great.' They spent a few moments not saying a thing. Sakura had her back turned to him again, one hand inside her cloths and the other holding her head up. Minutes pass by and Naruto felt she was waiting for him to explain. 'I got them Sakura-chan, it's finally over'

'Yeah...' Sakura turns to him again with a pained expression on her face, tenderly stroking his cheek with her free hand. Naruto seeing her response frowns.

'No, hey wait. It's a happy day. A real happy day. Itachi and Kisame are dead. It's finally over'

'...I'm proud of you' Sakura says after closing her eyes. Naruto gives her a weary smile at her and cups her hand.

'Tried to sleep, but it feels so cold'

'I can heal you,' Sakura mutters quietly

'Kakashi has to make me Hokage now! Konohamaru can be my heir. I mean, he's already my apprentice.' His hand squeezes hers while talking. Naruto's victorious tone was not loud but if he could, it would've been. His chest puffed up slightly. 'I worked so hard, Sakura-chan.'

'You sure did, Naruto' Sakura responded flatly but tried to return his smile with a small one of her own. Another uncomfortable moment passes between them.

'Why are you so sad?' At this she closes her eyes again. 'We're going to Konoha. They're going to make me a hero now.' Sakura looks down at him again, and continues to stroke his face.

'You've always been the hero.'

'Did Sasuke-teme blow his head off, Sakura-chan?' He laughs as hard as his body allows. 'I sent a toad to the nearest ANBU it could find with the news.' Naruto looks at her plaintively again, 'Is he coming to get me?'

Ten heart beats later '...yes.'

He pats her hand, 'Good, good.'

Finally Sakura straightens and responds to him directly, her voice firm. 'But I wanted to see you first.' He became very glad at seeing her acting normally again. Her answer moved him in no small amount either. Naruto positively glowed. He fumbles with his jacket and unzips it all the way, revealing a barely bandaged stomach. A wide, bloody stab wound nearly ten inches in length cut diagonally through his liver on down showed. It was not healing. 'Thank you Sakura-chan, I've been a jerk. Getting myself in trouble.'

Sakura immediately goes to tackle the grievous wound. Without turning away from it, she responds with a small laugh. 'Never do this again, idiot'

'But now the best doctor in the world is here' He responds quickly and starts talking while laughing 'and my best friend is coming, the whole gang! Hahaha, Sakura-chan, you worry too much.'

Seeing how deep the stab wound was, Sakura knew she had to use both her hands to heal him. That would mean letting go of the weapon in her hand. She needed to do this now. If the doctor in her came out before the ninja...She knew full well that she wouldn't be able to do it after starting to heal him.

Naruto saw both her hands hover above his stomach, they were shaking uncontrollably. Her face looked more nervous than he's ever seen her. Unless someone was about to die. 'Thank you Sakura-chan, I know you can do it. You're the best...I'll be quiet now'

The words hit her hands before she processed them and they both went into the act of healing. Each glowed a shade of green that leaped into her patient's body. Sakura felt how his muscles and cells began to work faster to close the wound. The ten inch gash closed in its own power to half its size.

'I have two hours.' The procedure was speeding up as it went along and only a two inch cut remained. Not even a scar showed the injury from before.

Naruto broke his silence, his voice hinted at slight disappointment 'Do you have somewhere to go when the others come?'

'...' She concentrates on finishing the surgery and avoids answering.

'Can you stay with me, Sakura-chan?' At this she turns her head slowly to him.

'Stay?'

'Umm...yeah...If it's not messing with your mission, you know. Go back to Konoha with me.' Naruto asks nervously, his hands letting go of the blanket he was squeezing all this time to clutch a green emerald necklace hanging on his neck. 'I'm finally going to get my dream.' Sakura couldn't help but look away. Away from him and his starry blue eyes. Again, not a word passes between either one of them. She never turned back, the healing operation finished.

'Do I make you happy?' Sakura grips both of her hands, massaging the pain caused from the difficult surgery.

'What do you mean?'

Still not facing him, the small smile returns. 'Do I make you happy, by being here now?'

'Of course you do!' spoken louder than anytime before, Naruto could already feel his vitality coming back. He makes a grab for her nearest hand and grips it. 'Funny what you think about when you're really hurt.' Sakura squeezes his hand back, but still doesn't turn back.

'Is there anything can do... to make you happier?'

'Hahahaha, you're acting crazy. I'm alive and you healed me.' He continues to laugh to himself as she strokes his fingers with her left hand.

'Yeah...I guess I am a bit crazy.'

'Well I'm glad'

'...I just wanted to know if there's anything I could give you?' She waits patiently without moving for his answer, that doesn't come immediately.

'You can tell me what's wrong'

'One hour'

'That's not an answer.' For the first time since Sakura came inside, Naruto looks troubled and uncertain. '

'Sakura-chan? Where is your hitaite?'

'I...forgot it' at this Naruto becomes serious and watches her carefully.

'I've never seen you without it. What's...What's going on?'

'Naruto' Sakura turns to him and squeezes his hands with both of hers. 'Please, tell me if I can do something to make you happier.' She sees his face darken further and eye brows lower. '...please'

'Just what the hell is going on?!' Now Naruto goes into a panic, with wide panicked eyes. He tries to get up but his abdominal muscles are too damaged to sit up normally, so he tries to roll onto his side and use his knees to get back to standing. He grunts loudly at the strain and possible repairing of healed muscles. Sakura becomes frantic herself as she sees him roll on the ground.

'You'll re-open the wound!' She grabs him by the shoulders and forces him to lie back down. He fights her all the way. 'I...I...' Sakura bows her head low. '...its nothing. She tries to push him further back into the ground despite his struggles. Naruto manages to sit up but stops his thrashing. Her quiet voice calms him somewhat. 'Ple.. Please get some sleep' Nodding her bowed head, 'I'll stay here' for the first time since she started healing, Sakura managed to look at him in the eye.

'Sasuke...' Naruto takes time to read her reaction. 'He never told you I killed Itachi' His words more a statement than a question.

Sakura's heart beat loud, drowning out almost everything else out, she took time to settle down. 'They. They're not here to bring you back.'

'What? Why?' She rubs his shoulders tenderly but bows her head down again. Pink hair covering her face and small tears that managed to get out.

'I...I am not here...to bring you back.'

'You're here to-'

Sakura immediately reaches into her weapons holster and brings out the large triangular knife to bear. Naruto's own left hand instantly locks onto her wrist, using what little chakra he has to battle against Sakura's super strength. Their hands shake at the battle of strength going on.

'I don't want to' Sakura says between outright sobs. She sees him crying as well, silently. The tears leave his eyes with needing to blink. She awkwardly leans forward, burying her head into the crook of his neck. Naruto's right hand wraps around her waist to keep him upright while they both continue to battle with their other hands. Both mutually power down in their struggle. Sakura digs further into Naruto as he pulls her tighter. The kunai falls on the floor forgotten and their fingers intertwine. Naruto stops crying while Sakura lets go of a loud wail into his chest.

'I didn't want him to take you!

'How could they do this?' Naruto speaks quietly, his previous victorious tone replaced by one of utter defeat. 'After everything...'

'I...I wanted to do it' Sakura raises her head from his chest and leaned on his shoulder. '...even though I never wanted to' Naruto begins to pet her head and waits for her sobs to quiet.

'I don't care anymore.' Sakura stiffens in his embrace. 'I don't care about being Hokage anymore.'

'Ple..please don't say that...Tell me to...to go.' She pushes off form him to sit face to face. She looks on desperately. 'And I will. I'll...lie to them.'

'No, no. I don't care.' He tries to comfort her more while leaving her room to breathe. Sakura's tears hit his neck, wetting his dry skin. 'They all betrayed me, even you.' She starts to cry hard again. 'Sakura, take the necklace.' Sakura's tear stained face pulls back and looks at him in shock. ' I...I. don't want it anymore,' Naruto says calmly. Sakura tenses her body but slowly sits up fully, her arms never leaving his neck while his arms still remain around her back. He loosens his hold on her and props himself up. 'I want you to go back, and fix the Leaf...'

'No, not without you...' Sakura whispers back and shakes her head slightly. 'All these years...you were gone. And now I found you.' Her hands go to his face, caressing his cheeks. The tears have stopped but Sakura's loving voice still didn't rise above the whisper. 'I found you.' Her gaze falls on her clothing, where she has weapons hidden. Kunai laced with poison specifically for Naruto. '...this...' She slowly pulls out the knives on her person, stares at them then stares back at Naruto. His eyes never left hers. Sakura's face looks even more pained and holds them by her leg. 'We don't have much time.'

'Where's your hitaite, kunoichi' Naruto asks her sternly

'I am no long a kunoichi now.' Sakura looks on brightly, 'I am only Sakura-chan now,' and gives him the happiest smile she can give. 'No longer a ninja.' Naruto's softens and nods to her, showing he understands. His left hand goes to the her right hand that still held on to the kunai and softly pushed it on to the floor, past her leg.

'I'm only Naruto now, no longer a ninja,' he responds solemnly. Sakura finally let's go of her weapons at his declaration. Metal clanging on the ground sounding like thunder in their ears.

'You're Naruto.' He nods again and Sakura comes closer to him their noses almost touching. He holds her waist again and the left hand slides down to her leg as she goes to his neck. With both hands she daintily touches Tsuanade's necklace.

'They said I should bring back the necklace as proof of your death.' She rubs the leather string while caressing his skin at the same time. Naruto responds to her words not in shock, but with bitterness.

'We'll leave it here, Sakura-chan. Give it to someone who wants it.'

'I can...take it with me' Sakura stares transfixed at the gem, their salvation. 'And...You'll go free.'

'I'm not going anywhere without you' Naruto answers confidently, smirking again. Her eyes leave the necklace to look down at his.

'You want me to leave everything?' She asks uncertainly.

'No more fighting Sakura-chan, No more wars.' He pauses a moment and speaks very slowly 'Just me and you, maybe...maybe a family. I don't care about anything else.'

'...No more being a shinobi. What about all the things we wanted to do? All the dreams we had?' Sakura's hand leads the necklace up as she brings her hand to his face. Her thumbs touching his lower lip. '...No more fighting.'

'Let's see the world Sakura-chan'

'We don't have time, Naruto. You need to go'

'I...I'm either going to leave with you...or die here.'

She moves her face even closer to his. Not to kiss or touch, just to be closer. This may be her last time. Naruto sat still as Sakura whispered 'I missed you... Every day,' she places both hands on the necklace and snaps the leather string holding it on Naruto's neck. 'You even asked me to go'

Haruno Sakura held her breath and closed her eyes. Uzumaki Naruto let her make her own decision and waited.

'Don't ever ask that of me again.'


End file.
